NYC DOB SITE SAFETY TRAINING
2-Hour Mental Health Awareness
The prescribed SST course added by Local Law 10 of 2026. It covers substance use, overdose response, suicide prevention and how to support a coworker who is struggling. Online and self-paced.
- Online, self-paced
- 2 hours
- English
- 2 hours of SST prescribed course credit
- SST card includedAn SST card is issued only after you complete all the training the card requires. This course counts toward it.
Training Directory · NYC DOB provider ID SEED-DOB-0004
Course at a glance
- Format
- Online, self-paced
- Length
- 2 hours of instruction (120 minutes)
- Assessment
- Knowledge checks after each of the 10 modules and a final exam. You need 70% to pass.
- Credential
- 2 SST credit hours and a certificate of completion. This is awareness-level training. It is not a license, and it is not a counseling or medical qualification.
About the 2-Hour Mental Health Awareness SST course
This is an NYC DOB Site Safety Training (SST) course. It is a prescribed course, which means it is a named requirement in SST card pathways, not an elective. You earn 2 hours of SST credit when you complete it with a DOB-Registered Course Provider.
The course exists because of Local Law 10 of 2026, which took effect May 3, 2026. The law added required SST training on mental health and wellness, suicide risk and prevention, and alcohol and substance misuse. The 2-Hour Mental Health Awareness course replaced the 2-Hour Drug and Alcohol Awareness course. Since August 1, 2026, only Mental Health Awareness is accepted toward a new SST card. If you already hold an active card, you are not required to go back and take it.
The course follows DOB's outline, and about half of it covers substance use. You will learn how alcohol, cannabis, stimulants, benzodiazepines, opioids and over-the-counter medicines affect the work, what substance use disorder means, where to find treatment, and how to respond to an opioid overdose with naloxone. It also covers tobacco and nicotine on the jobsite, the risk and protective factors for suicide, and how to ask a coworker directly whether they are thinking about suicide and connect them to help. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline appears from the first module on.
You take it online at your own pace through narrated slides and short videos. Each module ends with a knowledge check, and a final exam closes the course. You need 70% to pass. Seat time is tracked, so the course cannot be finished in less than 2 hours, and you will be asked to verify your identity. This is awareness-level training. It does not qualify you to diagnose, counsel or treat anyone.
What you'll learn
Drawn from the training objectives in DOB's outline.
- Describe how alcohol, cannabis, stimulants, benzodiazepines, opioids and over-the-counter medicines affect judgment, reaction time and balance on the job.
- Define substance use disorder, addiction, dependence and tolerance, and tell physical dependence apart from addiction.
- Recognize the signs of an opioid overdose, carry out the response steps in order, and state what naloxone does and does not do.
- List the risk factors and protective factors for suicide, and how a crew can strengthen the protective ones.
- Ask a coworker directly about suicide, respond to the answer, and stay with them while you connect them to help.
- Find the 988 Lifeline, treatment finders and other support resources, and raise a concern with a coworker without accusing them.
Course topics
Everything in DOB's outline for this course.
Part 1 · Substance use and the work
- Substance use in construction, and the industry conditions that raise risk
- How an injury can lead to dependence
- Six substance classes: alcohol, cannabis, stimulants, benzodiazepines, prescription opioids and over-the-counter medicines
- Substance use disorder terms, and the jobsite consequences of working impaired
- Reducing the impact on safety, and finding treatment through NYS OASAS and SAMHSA
Part 2 · Overdose response, tobacco and nicotine
- Signs of an opioid overdose, and how they differ from heavy intoxication
- The overdose response sequence: calling 911 and giving naloxone
- New York's Good Samaritan protection: what it does and does not cover
- Naloxone aftercare, reporting and refills
- Tobacco and nicotine: added risk with exposures such as asbestos, the smoking ban on NYC construction sites, and nicotine replacement options
Part 3 · Suicide prevention and mental health
- Risk factors and protective factors for suicide
- Why asking for help is a strength in this industry
- What mental health is, and how it differs from mental illness
- Warning signs that mean a coworker needs help now, and how to ask directly
- The 988 Lifeline, support resources, and 311 for unsafe conditions
Credit & certificate
SST card includedAn SST card is issued only after you complete all the training the card requires. This course counts toward it.
Prescribed course
- Counts as the 2-Hour Mental Health Awareness requirement for a new SST Worker card (40 hours), under Option 1 and Option 2.
- Counts toward the 10 hours needed by workers with 30-Hour OSHA in the past 5 years, or 40-Hour Site Safety, together with 8-Hour Fall Prevention.
- Counts as the 2-Hour Mental Health Awareness requirement for a new SST Supervisor card (62 hours).
- Counts toward Worker card renewal Option 2, with 4-Hour Fall Prevention and 2-Hour Tool Box Talks or Pre-Task Meeting.
- Counts toward Supervisor card renewal Option 1 and Option 3.
- Since August 1, 2026, 2-Hour Drug and Alcohol Awareness is no longer accepted toward a new card. This course takes its place.
2 SST credit hours and a certificate of completion. This is awareness-level training. It is not a license, and it is not a counseling or medical qualification.
Who it's for
- Workers applying for a new SST Worker card (40 hours), under either option
- Workers with 30-Hour OSHA in the past 5 years, or 40-Hour Site Safety, who need the remaining 10 hours
- Supervisors and competent persons working toward a new SST Supervisor card (62 hours)
- Card holders renewing under an option that includes Mental Health Awareness
Included in these packages
Take this course on its own, or as part of a package.
- 10-Hour SST8-Hour Fall Prevention and 2-Hour Mental Health Awareness. The last 10 hours of a Worker card if you already have 30-Hour OSHA.$215.00View package
- 32-Hour SSTEleven courses, 32 hours. With 30-Hour OSHA or 40-Hour Site Safety and no SST card, this completes the 62-hour Supervisor Card.$475.00View package
- SST Supervisor Card Renewal: Option 18-Hour Fall Prevention, 4-Hour Supported Scaffold, 2-Hour Mental Health Awareness and 2-Hour Tool Box Talks. Renews a Supervisor card.$400.00View package
- SST Supervisor Card Renewal: Option 38-Hour Site Safety, 4-Hour Fall Prevention, 2-Hour Mental Health Awareness and 2-Hour Tool Box Talks. Renews a Supervisor card.$400.00View package
- SST Worker Card Renewal: Option 24-Hour Fall Prevention, 2-Hour Mental Health Awareness and 2-Hour Tool Box Talks. Renews an SST Worker Card under Option 2. 8 hours online.$200.00View package
Before you buy
- Format and schedule
- Online and self-paced. Start any time after purchase; no class dates or location.
- Certificate and credential
- When you finish, Training Directory issues a course certificate.
- Identity verification
- No identity verification or proctoring is required for this course.
Questions
Where can I get help if this course brings something up for me?
Call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and you can reach out for yourself or for someone you are worried about. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. The course is self-paced, so you can step away and come back to it.
Did this course replace 2-Hour Drug and Alcohol Awareness?
Yes. Local Law 10 of 2026 replaced 2-Hour Drug and Alcohol Awareness with 2-Hour Mental Health Awareness. Since August 1, 2026, only Mental Health Awareness is accepted for credit toward a new SST card.
I already have an active SST card. Do I have to take this now?
No. People who hold an active card are not required to go back and take it. Some renewal options include Mental Health Awareness, so you may take it when you renew.
Is this course only about mental health?
No. DOB's outline is wider than the title. About half of the course covers alcohol and drug use, overdose response and naloxone, and tobacco and nicotine. The rest covers suicide prevention and mental health.
Will I be asked about my own experiences?
No. The knowledge checks and final exam ask about the course material, such as warning signs and the right steps to take. You are not asked to share anything about yourself.
Does this course qualify me to counsel coworkers or treat anyone?
No. It is awareness-level training. It teaches you to recognize warning signs, respond safely, and connect a person to professional help. It does not make you a counselor or a medical provider.
Which renewal options use this course?
Worker renewal Option 2 and Supervisor renewal Options 1 and 3. Each pairs it with 2-Hour Tool Box Talks or 2-Hour Pre-Task Meeting, plus Fall Prevention and, depending on the option, other courses.
How long does it take?
The course is 2 hours (120 minutes) of instruction. Seat time is tracked, so you cannot finish it faster than that.
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